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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29917644">Bathroom Mirror</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Altered_Identity/pseuds/Altered_Identity'>Altered_Identity</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fear and All It Entails [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>OMORI (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>.w., ;w;, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Family Loss, Gen, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Not Beta Read, Post-Game(s), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Prologue, Selectively Mute Sunny (OMORI), Spoilers, no seriously, of some sort, we fall like that violin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 20:40:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,061</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29917644</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Altered_Identity/pseuds/Altered_Identity</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There’s something behind me in the bathroom mirror.</p><p>The odd thing is that I don’t think I mind.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aubrey &amp; Basil &amp; Hero &amp; Kel &amp; Sunny (OMORI), Basil &amp; Sunny (OMORI), Mari &amp; Sunny (OMORI), Mewo &amp; Sunny (OMORI), No intentional shipping, Omori &amp; Sunny (OMORI), sorry guys - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fear and All It Entails [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2200818</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>96</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Kintsukuroi</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>.w.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Something is staring at me. I observe it, taking in the three ragged ends, the inky black body, and the single, unblinking eye.</p><p> </p><p><em>‘Only one,’ </em> I think, <em> ‘just like me.’</em></p><p> </p><p>I raise my hand to brush my fingers over my scarred eye, the milky film reminding me of that fateful day, not too long ago.</p><p> </p><p>We gaze into each other’s eye for what feels like only a few minutes, but when I break the connection to glance at the clock, it’s already been three hours.</p><p>The sun is rising.</p><p>It’ll be time for my first day at the new school soon.</p><p> </p><p>"Sunny... I love you…” Something rasps, its voice hoarse but full of emotion. I sigh, but a smile is tugging at my lips.</p><p> </p><p>“I love you too,” I whisper to it. Its single eye lights up with happiness as it fades away.</p><p>I huff out a breath and turn around, sticking my hands into the pockets of my black hoodie before walking towards the bathroom door.</p><p> </p><p>“Jaa, matane,” I call over my shoulder, flicking off the light and closing the door behind me.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Eccedentesiast</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Meow?” Mewo mews, leaping gracefully off of the top of my wardrobe to land on my shoulder.</p><p>I scramble to make sure she doesn’t fall off.</p><p> </p><p>“How do you do that?” I mutter.</p><p>I’d have thought that the cat would’ve forgotten all about me after four years of not showing up but, surprise surprise, the black feline had been waiting for me in the car when Mom came to pick me up from the hospital.</p><p> </p><p>She swore she didn’t know how Mewo had gotten into the vehicle as she hadn’t caught a glimpse of the cat since... since Mari’s funeral, and after examining the stunned look on her face, I had no choice but to believe her.</p><p> </p><p>Mewo isn’t a kitten anymore. She’s longer, leaner, and more elegant.</p><p>However, she’s still a small cat.</p><p>Mewo purrs, settling down behind my neck like a living scarf of some kind. I scratch her under her chin.</p><p> </p><p>“Sunny! Breakfast is ready!” Mom calls from downstairs. I tug on my sleeves.</p><p> </p><p><em>'Do I feel like talking today?’</em> I wonder to myself.</p><p>I've been asking myself that question every day since I left Faraway, with Mewo and Something else being the only two exceptions.</p><p>Eventually, I shake my head. Mewo mrows and rubs her head against my cheek.</p><p> </p><p>I walk over to the stairwell. It’s different from the one back in Faraway Town. Instead of a single long road slanting down, this house has its stairs separated into two sections, with a small room between the segments where my mom now keeps her China set.</p><p>Still, I have to take a deep breath to calm down, closing my eyes, focusing on the things I cherish the most before tightly clenching the railing and walking down,</p><p>one</p><p>    step</p><p>        at</p><p>            a</p><p>              time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Making peace isn't the same as moving on.</p><p> </p><p>Something will always be missing.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Pertinacious</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Somehow, I make it down the stairs without tripping, but I stumble a bit on the very last step. </span>
  <span>I take a deep breath in an attempt to calm down his racing heart. Mewo’s rumbly purr gives me something else to focus on. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After a few seconds, I open my eyes and quickly walk away from the stairs.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That’s a rabbit hole I have been just narrowly avoiding for the last five months since moving from Faraway, and I don’t plan on breaking that trend now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mewo shifts, flicking her tail in my face as if telling me to snap out of it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>How does this cat read my mind when even I don’t know the way around my head? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>I chuckle before opening the door to the kitchen, where Mom is standing before a pan of sizzling bacon. She turns.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, Sunny, you’re up! I was just about to call you down,” she says with a smile. I wave in greeting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait just a little longer, breakfast is almost ready.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>I nod and walk over to the drawers to get out utensils, setting them on the table. Mom sets two empty plates on the marble countertops before starting to scrape the scrambled eggs and bacon off of the pan. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>I stroll over to the dining table to wait, lifting Mewo off of my shoulder and setting her in front of her filled food and water dishes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The clink of plates behind me notify me that Mom has finished cooking. We eat in comfortable silence, the mood light. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Mom’s cooking is always amazing. You feel like new!’</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I don't do schedules.</p>
<p>Just so you know.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hope you liked it .w.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Ephemeral</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>I finish my breakfast before Mom. I stand up, push my chair in, take my dirty plate and fork, and place them in the sink. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then, I jog to the front door, picking my backpack off of the ground and opening it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Heavy textbooks? Check.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Blank notebooks? Check.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Empty folders? Check.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sharp pencils? Check.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>I zip open the smaller compartment.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>New phone? Check.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Semi-full wallet? Check.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A roll of bandages? Check.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>I spare a glance behind my shoulder. I can hear Mom washing dishes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>I slowly open the front door and soundlessly slip outside. I only let go of my breath when the door clicks shut. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>However, just as I am about to take a step forward, Mom barges out of the house.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t think I can’t see what you’re doing here young man,” she tuts in disapproval. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She grabs me by my shoulders and turns me around before securing a black eye patch on my face. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“There,” Mom says, “Now stay safe, Sunny.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>I groan internally. I had been planning on just covering up my eye with soft gauze to replace the scratchy material of the hospital-issued eye patch. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But I couldn't let Mom know, she’d be so disappointed. I had left the eye patch on top of the black folder that held my medical records, hoping that Mom would find it </span>
  <em>
    <span>after</span>
  </em>
  <span> I arrived at school and think that I forgot it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>I smile sheepishly and hug her before unlatching the gate.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>I look behind me at Mom, her lips set in a thin line. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The look in her eyes reminds me of my thoughts when I stab myself to get out of Headspace. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jumbled, chaotic, and too complex to fully understand.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She smiles anyways, genuine or not, and raises a hand to wave goodbye. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>I simply nod back, clenching my backpack’s straps and taking a step in the direction of the school.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The End..?</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As the tags say, this piece is a prologue... of some sort. It'll be a prologue if I ever get around to the actual story.<br/> </p><p> </p><p>Anyways, thanks for reading! I hope I made your day a little better. Feel free to drop a comment with suggestions, questions, or just some random thing you want to say. If you can't think of anything, post a word you think is cool.</p><p>I'll start!</p><p>Oneirataxia - the inability to differentiate between fantasy and reality.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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